Dundee v Hibs: Maclaren a doubt, Boyle & Hanlon fit, same formation?

Hibs travel to the City of Discovery on Saturday looking to make it two Ladbrokes Premiership wins on the trot as they take on Neil McCann’s Dundee side.

Neil Lennon has virtually a full squad to choose from, although Ofir Marciano remains sidelined but is closer to a return.

Jamie Maclaren is a doubt for the match with a back issue while speedy winger Thomas Agyepong is touch and go with a hamstring complaint.

Martin Boyle is fit, while Mark Milligan could be in contention to start after getting a run-out against Kilmarnock last weekend.

Paul Hanlon returns, giving Lennon a full complement of defenders although Miquel Nelom will almost certainly not be involved after he signed a one-year deal on Thursday.

Hanlon’s return and the availability of Darren McGregor also gives the Hibs boss the option of returning to a three-man defence.

Basement side Dundee have lost their opening five fixtures and have found the back of the net just twice.

Five games in might be a bit too early to start talking about relegation battles, but things look a bit grim for McCann and his charges, although Hibs - who have one win and one draw from their last two visits to Dens - will be aware of the banana skin nature of this fixture.

Dundee have several unnamed fitness doubts going into the Scottish Premiership clash.

Injuries / suspensions / unavailable

Hibs - Ofir Marciano is still sidelined but nearing a return from a finger injury while Jamie Maclaren and Thomas Agyepong are both doubts with slight knocks.

Dundee - Former Hibs and Rangers striker Kenny Miller is suspended after Dundee failed to overturn his red card at Ibrox while Roarie Deacon and Glen Kamara are both doubts with ankle and back injuries respectively.

4 - Hibs haven’t scored more than one goal in a match at Dens since November 2004 when Tony Mowbray’s side won 4-1 thanks to goals from Derek Riordan, Dean Shiels, Alen Orman and Guillaume Beuzelin. A young Steven Whittaker played the full 90 minutes.

Key battle

Florian Kamberi will be keen to add to his tally after netting the winner in last week’s 3-2 win over Kilmarnock. Dundee defender Darren O’Dea will have his work cut out keeping tabs on the Swiss striker.

Key stats

Hibs lost their last match on the road at Livingston, but the Easter Road side haven’t lost consecutive away games since April / May 2014, when a 2-0 loss at St Mirren preceded a 1-0 defeat at Ross County. Dundee have lost their last three home games - the last time Dee slumped to four consecutive defeats on their own patch was earlier this year, losing 0-1 to Hibs, 1-4 to Ross County, 0-1 to Motherwell and 0-4 to St Johnstone.

Referee

Andrew Dallas is the man in charge at Dens Park. The whistler has taken charge of 12 Hibs matches in his refereeing career, with the capital club losing just once - a 1-0 reversal to Queen of the South in March 2016.